City Council approves having malt beverage permit on ballot

Monday

Aug 11, 2014 at 10:18 PM

During its meeting on Monday, Lexington City Council approved a resolution by a 7-1 vote requesting the Davidson County Board of Elections to include a referendum concerning on-premise malt beverage sales on the ballot in November. Council member Tobin Shepherd was the dissenting vote.

BY SHARON MYERSThe Dispatch

During its meeting on Monday, Lexington City Council approved a resolution by a 7-1 vote requesting the Davidson County Board of Elections to include a referendum concerning on-premise malt beverage sales on the ballot in November. Council member Tobin Shepherd was the dissenting vote. According to Tammy Absher, director of the Lexington Business and Community Development Office, the city has received complaints from local business owners who wish to only sell beer and wine, but are required to obtain a mixed beverage permit at an additional $1,000 per year. These business owners have asked for a referendum to be included in the November election to allow the citizens to decide whether to allow on-premises malt beverage as a stand-alone permit and making it unnecessary to obtain mixed beverage permits."The permit for mixed beverage limits the on-site consumption of liquor to a very few specific places; restaurants, hotels, convention centers, private clubs and community theater," Absher said. "If you do have a mixed beverage permit, you can also by default, apply for on-premise malt beverage permit. Since we haven't passed that individually everything that has to do with beer has to be attached to that mixed beverage permit. Even if you just want to sell beer, you have to be licensed to sell liquor."Absher stated that the passage of the referendum would save restaurants money, but it would also allow new types of entertainment venues, such as taprooms and pubs, which are currently required to be private clubs in order to operate. Absher also said amending the zoning ordinance would be required to regulate new businesses in order to safeguard against undesirable establishments that might have negative impacts on the local business environment."We are working towards becoming a business-friendly environment," Absher said. "We want to attract new businesses into the community with a focus on restaurants and entertainment. In addition, it is important that we respond to the concerns of existing businesses we have heard from who were concerned about having to buy this extra permit that they didn't want, they didn't need and the additional expense."Several local businesses that currently sell beer, wine or liquor said they support the resolution calling for a referendum in the upcoming elections. Gerald Hyatt, owner of Wine Sellars in High Rock Landing shopping center, said the current rules are having a direct impact on his business. "We have struggled to answer questions to our patrons as to why they can't have a beer," Hyatt said. "There are some very archaic ABC laws here in North Carolina, especially in Lexington. I hope the council will embrace the opportunity to put on this referendum on the ballot so our citizens can decide what they want."Chris Phelps, owner of High Rock Outfitters on Main Street in Lexington said they are trying to be responsible business owners, but they are being penalized under the current law. "All that would change is that someone can come in and apply for a pub permit," Phelps said. "It is simply that the law is making us spend more money and waste a lot of time to do what we want to do responsibility anyhow, which is not sell mixed drinks. This an issue of selling beer and selling spirits. There is a huge difference in those two things."Councilman Shepherd said he opposed the resolution because he doesn't feel establishments that serve alcohol are major economy drivers. "We aren't talking about just any business here, its a very small section of the hospitality industry which related to the restaurants," Shepherd said. "I'm not against business but I do not consider ABC as a backbone business. Backbone businesses have been welding shops, manufacturers, electricians and things like that. It's just not the backbone business that we need here in Lexington to move forward and get our economy moving forward."In other business, the city council approved a major zoning permit submitted by Steve Googe, executive director of the Davidson County Economic Development Commission, to build a 5,000 square-foot office building on Aviation Way, and another major zoning permit submitted by Muhammad A. Faisal for the development of a Used Car Sales Business at 810 Piedmont Drive.Sharon Myers can be reached at 249-3981, ext, 228 or at sharon.myers@the-dispatch.com. Follow Sharon on Twitter: @LexDisptachSM